REGULATION | European Crypto Users Have More Trust in Regulated Platforms Under MiCA, Says Crypto Executive

European crypto users are placing greater trust in regulated platforms following the rollout of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, according to Bitpanda co-CEO, Christian Trummer.

Speaking on a podcast, Trummer said users have “more faith” in regulated market participants contrasting this with the focus on self-custody among parts of the crypto community. He said most retail users prefer regulated providers rather than managing their own private keys.

Trummer also called for stricter enforcement of MiCA saying some companies continue to serve European customers without the required authorization putting compliant firms at a competitive disadvantage.

“The problem there definitely is that it’s not strictly enforced by the regulators,” Trummer said, referring to firms offering services to European customers without a MiCA license.

REGULATION | BitPanda Fined €70,000 in Austria’s First Published MiCA Penalty

MiCA’s transition period for existing crypto service providers ended no later than July 1 2026 requiring unauthorized firms to wind down their EU operations. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has urged national regulators to act against firms continuing to provide crypto services without authorization.